Ornamental fireplace grate



- www 1,692,021 R. w. AUER ORNAMENTAL FIREPLACE GRATE Nov. 20, 1928.

Filed Deo. l?, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'l/VENTOR: Rudolph W Hua/r,

Y ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 20, 1928. l 1,692,021

R. W. AUER ORNAMENTAL FIREPLACE GRATE Filed Dec. 17, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITNEssEs v 1 INVENTOR; j wir@ Rudolph/WAM,

BY y W TToRNEYs.

Patented Nov. 20, 1928i.

UNITED srarasg RUDOLPH W. AUER, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ORNAMENTAL FIREPLACE GRATE.

Application filed December 17, 1925. Serial No. r26,113.

This invention relates to ornamental fireplace grates of the type in which burning 1s simulated by projection of electrically produced light and heat through imitation coals of colored translucent material.

Amongst the objects of my invention are to attain, in ornamental devices of the above kind, a closer and better' simulationof actual coal burning than possible with means heretofore generally employed for this purpose; to secure the advantages of simplifiedconstruction, especially with regard to facilitating economiemanufacture and to provide for ready access to parts likely to require replacement from time to time. n

With vreference to the drawings, Fig. I is a plan view of an ornamental fireplace grate conveniently embodying my invention, certain portions being broken away and shown in section to disclose important underlying details.

Fig. II is a front view of the grate.

Fig. III is a longitudinal sectiony taken as` indicated by the arrows III-III in Fig. I; and

Fig. IV is a transverse section taken as indicated by the arrows IV-IV in Fig. I.

In carrying out my invention I employ an open-topped housing 10, the frame whereof comprises al solid back wall member 11 with legs 12, 12, a somewhat longer front member 13 that is grated vertically between ornamental end leg posts 14, 14 as best shown in Fig. II, and solid end wall members 15, 16 extend ing transversely between said back and the front members. 'Ihese frame parts are preferably made as castings and secured together at various points by screw bolts 17, Fig. 1. An internal perimetric ledge 18 afforded jointly by the several frame members 11,13, 15, 16 serves as the support for a separable insert bottom member 19, which is in turn secured by screws 20 taking into said ledge. Extending horizontally across the housing 10 near the top, and down behind the grated front 13, is an angularly bent foraminous partition 21, preferably of coarse wire mesh, with its opposite ends curled about tie rods 22, 23 extending longitudinally between the end wall members 15, 16 of the housing frame 10. This partition 21 provides a horizontal support and a frontal inter-space for imitation coals such as conventionally represented at C, and at the same time setsapart an inner chamber 24.

Centrally within the inner chamber 24 I place a conventional form of electric heating device 26, andrat opposite sides somewhat to the rear yof said device, electric bulbs 27, 27. Vire brackets 28, 28 serve to support angula-rly-vaned pin wheels 29 centrally over the vclosed by a door 31 retractable about a pivot stud 32.

The bottom member 19 of the housing 10 is hollow and made of sheet metal with a cover plate 33 that is polished and longitudinally corrugated for a purpose hereinafter explained, and embodies a recessed lower section 34 which extends down beneath the level of the perimetrio supporting ledge 18 as shown in Figs. III and IV. The hollow seetion 34 of the bottom member 19 is utilized to accommodate and conceal the wiring to the sockets 35, 36 respectively for the heating device 26 and the illuminating bulbs 27, 27, said sockets being interposed in parallel circuits connected to a common duplex cable 37 which extends through an insulating bushing 38 at the rear of the grate where it is equipped exteriorly with a plug 39 capable of being screwed into a wall or base socket .such as usually provided for connection of electric appliances. The heating device 26 and the lighting bulbs 27, 27 are separately control lable by snap .switches 40, 41 allocated for convenience of access, at opposite ends of the hollow bottom member 19.

In accordance with my invention, the coals C may be of broken glass slag having a reddish brown tint, with some clear so as to be translucent throughout, some with roughened or frosted surfaces (as indicated by speckled shading in Fig. II) which render them par# tially opaque, and others embodying both these characteristics. By proper choice and arrangement, these different varieties of coals may be advantageously placed to represent a combination of live coals and faintly incandescent fuel, with the latter in excess at the lower portion of the grate front 13. By employing coals of reddish brownl as specified, and usingelectric bulbs with an orange tint, the resultant color effect of the light seen through the coals will be that of an intensely burning fire. The fluctuation caused by rotation of the pinwheels 29 is heightened and made more realistic through reflection of the light by the corrugations of the plate 33. The heat emanating from the device 26 is absorbed by the coals C, and by them radiated and diiused outwardly in a very eiiective manner. u

In manufacturing the grate, the bottom member 19 is separately assembled with the heating device 26; bulbs 27; 27, and all the wiring connections, etc., so that the same may be handled as a unit in placing it within the housing trame l0. Such siinpliiied construction, it will be seen, has the advantage ot' materially reducing manufacturing costs. By provision of the door 3l in the back of the housing l0, all the parts at the interior may be reached without entailing dismantling of any oi" the surrounding parts of the organization. From the foregoing it will be further apparent that my improved grate lends itself adiv'antageously to ready packing tor shipment, and may be easily installed without entailing special electrical connections for its operation.

Haring thus described my invention, I claim:

l. rin ornamental electric ireplace comprising an open-topped housing with a grated liront, a solid back and side walls; a separable corrugated bottom reiiector plate having a recessed lower section; a ioraminous partition extending across the top of the housing and down behind its grated front with provision oi a horizontal supporting and a vertical frontal interspace, for translucent imitation coals; as well as an inner chamber; ver'- tically-directed electric illuminating and heating means within said chamber to project light and heat through the translucent coals; pin wheels supported by angled brackets directly over the illuminating means to produce flickering; and a door protecting an opening in the back walls of the housing through which access is had to parts at tl :e iterior.

2. An ornamental electric fireplace comprising an open-topped housing with, a grated front, a solid back and side walls all aii'ording an internal perimetric ledge t'or support ot' a separable hollow bottom; a foraminous partition extending across the top ot' the housing and down behind the grated front with provision of a horizontal support and a vertical frontal inter-space, for translucent imitation coals, as well as an inner chamber; vertically-directed electric illuminating and heating means within said chamber; and independent control switches therefor all mounted on the separable bottom with the wiring connections concealed in the hollow thereof.

3. An'ornamental electric iireplace comprising an open-topped housing with; a grated front, a solid back and side walls, a separable longitudinally corrugated insert bottom supported ou an internat peripheral ledge ot' the housing trame and having a. recessed lower section; a t'oraminous partition extending across the top ot the housing and down behind its grated trout with provision of an inner cham ber7 a horizontal support, and a vertical frontal interspa -e; imitation coals overlying and in trent ot' said partition; some ot' which is entirely translucent, some Semi-opaque; and others partly translucent and partly opaque; vertically-directed electric illumi# nating and heating means within the aforesaid chamber; and independent switches therefor all mounted on the separable corrugate bottom with the wiring connections concealed in the recessed lower section thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 11th day of December; 1925.

RUDOLPH lV. AUER. 

